TIGHNABRUAICH Gallery is launching a major new national annual art prize this year — the Secret Coast Prize for Fine Art 2025 — designed to support artists at every stage of their careers through a pioneering commission model and meaningful material support.
The prize features two awards in partnership with Michael Harding Handmade Oil Colours — the globally recognised brand synonymous with craftsmanship and integrity in painting:
The Michael Harding Secret Coast Prize for Fine Art
£1,000 cash + £1,000 in Michael Harding paints and materials
The Michael Harding Early Career Prize
£250 cash + £500 in Michael Harding materials
For current students, recent graduates (within 5 years) and late returners (within 3 years)
The Argyll & Bute Award
£250 cash
Celebrating artists with a connection to the region
Shortlisted works will be presented in a landmark winter exhibition at Tighnabruaich Gallery, running 29 November – 21 December 2025.
What makes this initiative distinctive is the Gallery’s unique commission structure — one that reinvests directly into artist development through mentoring, residencies, and material support.
Every sale funds the next generation of artists.
The exhibition will bring together internationally acclaimed guest artists
Henry Kondracki RSA and José Luis Serzo — alongside emerging, local and established talent from across Scotland, the UK and Ireland.
Founder Ross Murray Poole said:
“For too long, the power in contemporary art has been centralised — in cities, in institutions, in the hands of gatekeepers. We’re proving that a rural gallery can be a powerhouse for talent, with a model that returns value to artists instead of extracting it. It’s cultural investment, not cultural extraction.”
Submissions are now open, across all fine art media
Deadline: 7 November 2025
Apply: https://zealous.co/tiggallery/opportunity/secret-coast-prize-for-fine-art/
Press contact: [email protected]
Website: https://tiggallery.co.uk
